This is what would happen if Hillary wins.

Watch the Video By Clicking The Link Below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hg1LEsSeYJw

McCain snaps at reporter

Can't blame the guy,this reporter is like the low - lifes that follow Brittany Spears every where she goes,good for McCain. Plus shes from the evil "back stabbing NY Times"

AP :

Republican Sen. John McCain, showing a flash of the temper he is known for, repeatedly cut off a reporter Friday when asked whether he had spoken to Democratic Sen. John Kerry about being his vice president in 2004. "Everybody knows that I had a private conversation. Everybody knows that, that I had a conversation," McCain told the reporter. "And you know it, too. No. You know it, too. No. You do know. You do know."

The reporter, Elisabeth Bumiller of The New York Times, was following up on a question McCain had answered at a campaign event Friday morning in Atlanta. Asked if he might consider Kerry as a running mate, since Kerry asked him in 2004, McCain said no.

Afterward, on a campaign flight, Bumiller said she looked in the Times' archives and that McCain had denied talking with Kerry in a May 2004 story.

McCain interrupted, saying that everyone knew he had a private conversation, and he kept interrupting as she tried to follow up. McCain clearly was irate.

"I don't know what you read or heard of, and I don't know the circumstances," McCain said. "Maybe in May of '04 I hadn't had a conversation."

Did he recall the conversation? "I don't know, but it's well-known that I had the conversation. It's absolutely well-known by everyone. So do you have a question on another issue?"

Asked again about the conversation, McCain said, "No. No. Because the issue is closed, as far as I'm concerned. Everybody knows it. Everybody knows it in America."

Could he describe the conversation? "No, of course not," McCain said. "I don't describe private conversations. Why should I? Then there's no such thing as a private conversation."

McCain is known for having a temper and has been dubbed "Senator Hothead" by more than one publication.

Ron Paul calling it a quits?

Well,Mr.Paul you had a hell of a run,and if what you said on your website last night is true,I feel that you deserve a hats off for all of your valiennt efforts you have done this year.


NEWSMAX.COM ;

WASHINGTON -- GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul is hinting to supporters that he is ending his long-shot campaign for the presidency.

The Texas Republican congressman addressed supporters in a 7 1/2-minute video on his campaign Web site Thursday night and did not specifically say he was quitting the race.

He said that although victory in the conventional political sense is not available in the presidential race, many victories have been achieved due to the hard work and enthusiasm of his supporters.

He said that he hoped that one day he and his supporters could look back and say his campaign was a significant first step that signaled a change in direction for the country.

Paul said their job now was to plan for the next phase of their effort.

Republicans reason why Clinton won in Texas

Some can use this lame excuse : because their sick of their party,and in the Democrats they see change : BULLSPIT! They see how dangerous Obama is,and decided to vote against him - knowing McCain will have much more success against Clinton then Obama,bravo Rush :



NEWSMAX -

Republican crossover voters apparently helped win the Democratic primary in Texas for Hillary Clinton — with one in every 10 Democratic votes came from Republicans.

And they could have been heeding the call of top-rated radio host Rush Limbaugh, who had been urging Republican listeners to vote for Hillary to prevent the Democrats from unifying around Obama and to keep the two candidates battling each other.

“Hillary Clinton is back in the race, thanks in some small part to Republican voters mindlessly following the commands of radio entertainers and crossing party lines to vote for the candidate they view as weakest,” Bud Kennedy writes in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Wednesday.

According to exit polls, of the 10 percent of Democratic votes that came from Republicans, about 53 percent of the crossovers chose Obama and 46 percent went with Clinton, the Dallas Morning News reports.

But previously these crossovers had voted overwhelmingly in favor of Obama. And the exit polls also show that Hillary won handily among conservative voters, including many Democrats, 53 percent to 43 percent over Obama, reports the Web site Outside the Beltway — which also noted that “Clinton truly might have won the Texas primary on the backs of Rush Limbaugh listeners.”

Clinton’s overall margin of victory was just 3 percent — about 98,000 votes out of 2.8 million cast.

“Thousands of traditionally Republican voters helped swell the ranks of the Democrats,” the Morning News observed.

“Some crossed over out of support for Mr. Obama, others were simply dissatisfied with their own party’s choice. Still others supported Mrs. Clinton hoping that by helping extend the Democratic feud, they would leave their own party in a better spot this fall.”

Limbaugh claimed at least some of the credit for Hillary’s victory, saying on Wednesday: “What we did, if we did anything, is to create a bunch of chaos in the Democratic Party — and it worked

Men do housework

report,all men should read :

American men still don't pull their weight when it comes to housework and child care, but collectively they're not the slackers they used to be. The average dad has gradually been getting better about picking himself up off the sofa and pitching in, according to a new report in which a psychologist suggests the payoff for doing more chores could be more sex.

The report, released Thursday by the Council on Contemporary Families, summarizes several recent studies on family dynamics. One found that men's contribution to housework had doubled over the past four decades; another found they tripled the time spent on child care over that span.

"More couples are sharing family tasks than ever before, and the movement toward sharing has been especially significant for full-time dual-earner couples," the report says. "Men and women may not be fully equal yet, but the rules of the game have been profoundly and irreversibly changed."

Some couples have forged partnerships they consider fully equitable.

"We'll both talk about how we're so lucky to have someone who does more than their share," said Mary Melchoir, a Washington-based fundraiser for the National Organization for Women, who _ like her lawyer husband _ works full-time while raising 6-year-old triplets.

"He's the one who makes breakfast and folds the laundry," said Melchoir, 47. "I'm the one who fixes things around the house."

Joshua Coleman, a San Francisco-area psychologist and author of "The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework," said equitable sharing of housework can lead to a happier marriage and more frequent sex.

"If a guy does housework, it looks to the woman like he really cares about her _ he's not treating her like a servant," said Coleman, who is affiliated with the Council on Contemporary Families. "And if a woman feels stressed out because the house is a mess and the guy's sitting on the couch while she's vacuuming, that's not going to put her in the mood."

The report's co-authors, sociologists Scott Coltrane of the University of California, Riverside and Oriel Sullivan of Ben Gurion University, said they were addressing a perception that women's gains in the workplace were not being matched by gains at home.

"The typical punch line of many news stories has been that even though women are working longer hours on the job and cutting back their own housework, men are not picking up the slack," Coltrane and Sullivan wrote.

They said this perception was based on unrealistic expectations and underestimated the degree of change "going on behind the scenes" since the 1960s. The change, they said, "is too great a break from the past to be dismissed as a slow and grudging evolution."

Among the findings they cited:

_In the U.S., time-use diary studies show that since the '60s, men's contribution to housework doubled from about 15 percent to more than 30 percent of the total. Over the same period, the average working mother reduced her weekly housework load by two hours.

_Between 1965 and 2003, men tripled the amount of time they spent on child care. During the same period, women also increased the time spent with their children, suggesting mutual interest in a more hands-on approach to child-raising.

Sullivan and Coltrane predict men's contributions will increase further as more women take jobs.

"Men share more family work if their female partners are employed more hours, earn more money and have spent more years in education," they said.

Pamela Smock, a University of Michigan sociologist who also works with the council, said a persistent gender gap remains for what she called "invisible" household work _ scheduling children's medical appointments, buying the gifts they take to birthday parties, arranging holiday gatherings, for example.

Marriage equality is more elusive among blacks than whites, with black women shouldering a relatively higher burden in terms of child care and housework, said council collaborator Shirley Hill, a sociology professor at the University of Kansas.

The report's overall findings meshed with what Carol Evans, founder and CEO of Working Mother magazine, has been observing as she tracks America's two-income couples.

"There's a generational shift that's quite strong," she said. "The younger set of dads have their own expectations about themselves as to being helpful and participatory. They haven't quite gotten to equality in any sense that a women would say, 'Wow, that's equal,' but they've gotten so much farther down the road."

Whos responsible for bomb explosion in NY Times Square

Currently the police don't know who it is,but I feel since it was targeted at a recruiting station for the Army,Marines,and NAVY - It was probably a left wing anti war hippy nut,and this really sickens me - because if it is a anti-war person,they could have hurt some of the officials there at the station,and them becoming the same as the militints in Iraq.

AP :

An explosive device caused minor damage to an empty military recruiting station in Times Square early Thursday, shaking guests in hotel rooms high above "the crossroads of the world."

Police blocked off the area to investigate the explosion, which occurred at about 3:45 a.m.. No one was injured. The blast left a gaping hole in the front window and shattered a glass door, twisting and blackening its metal frame.

"If it is something that's directed toward American troops than it's something that's taken very seriously and is pretty unfortunate," said Army Capt. Charlie Jaquillard, who is the commander of Army recruiting in Manhattan.

He said no one was inside the station, where the Marines, Air Force and Navy also recruit.

Witnesses staying at a Marriott hotel four blocks away said they could feel the building shake with the blast.

"I was up on the 44th floor and I could feel it. It was a big bang," said Darla Peck, 25, of Portland, Oregon.

"It shook the building. I thought it could have been thunder, but I looked down and there was a massive plume of smoke so I knew it was an explosion," said Terry Leighton, 48, of London, who was staying on the 21st floor of the Marriott.

Members of the police department's bomb squad and fire officials gathered outside the station in the early morning darkness, and police cars and yellow tape blocked drivers _ most of them behind the wheels of taxicabs _ from entering one of the world's busiest crossroads. Police began allowing some traffic through around the start of rush hour.

Though subway cars passed through the Times Square station without stopping in the early hours of the investigation, normal service was soon restored, with some delays.

The recruiting station, located on a traffic island surrounded by Broadway theaters and chain restaurants, has occasionally been the site of anti-war demonstrations, ranging from silent vigils to loud rallies.

In October 2005, a group of activists who call themselves the Granny Peace Brigade rallied there against the Iraq war. Eighteen activists, most of them grandmothers with several in their 80s and 90s, were later acquitted of disorderly conduct.

The recruiting station was renovated in 1999 to better fit into the flashy ambiance of Times Square, using neon tubing to give the glass and steel office a patriotic American flag motif. For a half century, the station was the armed forces' busiest recruiting center. It has set national records for enlistment, averaging about 10,000 volunteers a year.

Police said it was too early to say if the blast may have been related to two other minor explosions in the city.

In October, two small explosive devices were tossed over a fence at the Mexican consulate, shattering three windows but causing no injuries. No threats had been made against the consulate, and no one took responsibility for the explosion, police said.

At the time, police said they were investigating whether it was connected to a similar incident at the British consulate on May 5, 2005.

In that incident, the explosions took place in the early morning hours, when Britons were going to the polls in an election that returned Prime Minister Tony Blair to power.

In both cases, the instruments were fake grenades sometimes sold as novelty items. They were packed with black power and detonated with fuses, but incapable of causing serious harm, police said.

___

Michigan and Florida vote again?

Oh boy...please no

Officials in Michigan and Florida are showing renewed interest in holding repeat presidential nominating contests so that their votes will count in the epic Democratic campaign.

The Michigan governor, along with top officials in Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign and Florida's state party chair, are now saying they would consider holding a sort of do-over contest by June. That's a change from their previous insistence that the primaries their states held in January should determine how the their delegates are allocated.

Clinton won both contests, but the results were meaningless because the elections violated national party rules.

The Democratic National Committee stripped both states of all their delegates for holding the primaries too early, and all Democratic candidates _ including Clinton and rival Barack Obama _ agreed not to campaign in either state. Obama's name wasn't even on the Michigan ballot.

Florida and Michigan moved up their dates to protest the party's decision to allow Iowa and New Hampshire to go first, followed by South Carolina and Nevada, giving them a disproportionate influence on the presidential selection process.

But no one predicted the race would still be very close this late in the year.

Ironically, Michigan and Florida could have held crucial primaries if they had stayed with their traditional later dates. They may yet do so if they decide to hold new contests as Clinton and Obama compete to the wire.

Clinton has been insisting that the desires of more than 2 million people who cast Democratic ballots in the two states should be reflected at the convention, which would help her catch up to Obama in the race for convention delegates. Obama has said he wants to see the delegates from the two critical swing states participate, too, but not if Clinton is rewarded for victories in boycotted primaries.

Now the Clinton campaign has begun expressing openness to a do-over. "Let's let all of the voters go again if they are willing to do it," Clinton adviser Terry McAuliffe said Tuesday night on MSNBC. "Whatever we have to do to get people in the system, let's do it."

The new contests could be part of a strategy for Clinton to come back in the race and attract votes from superdelegates who are not bound by any primary or caucus votes, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told the network. "Let's assume for the moment Hillary Clinton wins Ohio and Texas, she wins Pennsylvania, Florida and Michigan have primaries in June, she wins both of those," said Rendell, who has endorsed Clinton. "Then, can the superdelegates look at that and say, `Gosh, she's won the last five big primaries in a row. She's won almost every big primary since we began.'"

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Clinton supporter, told the Detroit Free Press that Clinton's victory in Ohio changes "the landscape a bit." She said it could open the door to a caucus, if it can be privately funded and both candidates agree.

Granholm, a Democrat, and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican, issued a joint statement Wednesday demanding that their states' delegates be seated. "We each will call upon our respective state and national party chairs to resolve this matter and to ensure that the voters of Michigan and Florida are full participants in the formal selection of their parties' nominees," the statement said.

Crist told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that he does not support having another primary at taxpayer expense. He said he discussed the option with Sen. Bill Nelson, the state's senior Democrat. "He said the only way to consider the possibility of that is to have the Democratic National Committee pay for it," Crist said. The Florida Democratic Party said the state estimates the cost would be $25 million.

Getting funding from the national committee might be difficult when the party has a general election to wage. Last August, the DNC offered to spend $800,000 for a later caucus, but the Florida state party rejected the idea because the amount would have only been enough to set up 150 caucus sites for the state's 4.1 million Democrats. "It wasn't a real offer. It just wasn't. It was not something anybody could agree to with a straight face," said state party spokesman Mark Bubriski.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean issued a statement Wednesday that seemed to leave the matter for the states to resolve.

Dean said Michigan and Florida have two options: either submit a new plan for a process for choosing their convention delegates, or appeal to the Convention Credentials Committee, which resolves issues about the seating of delegates.

"The Democratic Nominee will be determined in accordance with party rules, and out of respect for the presidential campaigns and the states that did not violate party rules, we are not going to change the rules in the middle of the game," he said.

Michigan Democrats are discussing holding a "firehouse" contest in May or June that would be an alternative to a traditional primary or caucus and run by the state party, said a Democratic Party official who has been part of the discussions. "Firehouse" contests usually have fewer polling places and shorter voting hours than traditional state-run primary elections.

The party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private, said there was general consensus that it could not be held at taxpayers' expense and would attempt to generate participation from about 1 million state Democrats.

House and Senate Democrats from Florida and Michigan planned to meet Wednesday night on Capitol Hill to discuss ways of getting their state's delegates seated at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in late August, Democratic aides said.

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman said the party is open to another vote, as long as it meets three criteria. Both candidates would have to fully participate, a source of funding would have to be provided and it would have to allow all the state's Democrats to participate, including those serving in the military overseas. So far, she said, no suggested alternative has met those requirements.

"It is very possible that no satisfactory alternative plan will emerge, in which case Florida Democrats will remain committed to seating the delegates allocated by the January 29th primary," Thurman said in a statement.

Obama's campaign says whether to have a repeat contest is up to the national committee, but has signaled a willingness to participate. "We're going to abide by their rules as they exist now and whatever happens in the future," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe told reporters Wednesday.

"I don't think it's for our campaign or her campaign _ we're in a heated contest here _ to have to be the facilitators here," Plouffe said. "This is between the DNC and those state parties."

___

Associated Press writers Ken Thomas in Washington, Kathy Barks Hoffman in Lansing, Mich., and Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Fla., contributed to this report.

President Bush endorses John McCain

Not a big shocker here,but they were bitter rivals 8 years ago - and now their having breakfest on the south lawn.

President Bush endorsed Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain on Wednesday, two bitter rivals from the 2000 presidential race joining together now in hopes of preventing Democrats from winning the White House this fall.

"John showed incredible courage, strength of character and perseverance in order to get to this moment and that's exactly what we need in a president _ somebody who can handle the tough decisions, somebody who won't flinch in the face of danger," Bush said, appearing with McCain in the Rose Garden.

Bush's embrace of the Arizona senator as the party's next standard-bearer comes a day after McCain clinched the GOP nomination by getting the requisite 1,191 convention delegates. Republicans won't officially nominate McCain until early September at the GOP's national convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

"A while back I don't think many people would have thought that John McCain would be here as the nominee of the Republican Party," Bush said. "Except he knew he'd be here and so did his wife, Cindy."

Final Republican standings :

Note : Voting will continue in many states,because Paul has not withdrawn from the GOP race yet :

First - John McCain 1,226 delegates as of now.
Second - Mitt Romney 286 delegates total.
Third - Mike Huckabee 245 delegates total.
Fourth - Ron Paul 21 delegates as of now.

Rudy Giuliani,Fred Thompson,Duncan Hunter,and Tom Tancredo all won zero delegates.
BTW,I'm predicting Romney as McCain's Vice President

Whats next for those wacky Democrats?

March Eighth :
The Democrats are holding a caucus in Wyoming,where 18 total delelgates will be awarded to the winner,Obama has already begun campaigning in Wyoming.
March Eleventh :
The Democrats are holding a Primary in the mostly black state of Mississippi,where 40 total delegates are at stack,then the Democrats will have over 40 days to attack one-another until the Pennslyvania primary on April 22nd.

Obama Massacre!

238 years ago on this day,the Boston Massacre took place - officially swinging the American Revoulution into full blown gear in the 13 Colonies against Great Britian,now with threats of even heavier taxation Clinton (who I feel would loose the general election) defeated Obama in Rhode Island,single handedly in Ohio,and defeated him in Texas' primary,with the cuacus vote still yet to be counted in Texas - BUT Hillary is attempting to stop the cuacus from happening becuse she feels only the actual votes - popular vote should win it - AND I VASTLY AGREE WITH HER.
Did I just say I agreed with her? Only when it comes to popular vote,cuacus should be dis-continued in my mind.

Clintons delegates haven't been counted yet,but i'm sure Obama and her are neck and neck,notice last night that Obama wasn't chanting "YES WE CAN???" I guess hes a sore losser - now thats not very Christian like.
Also,they were talking on CNN how because of this the Democratic party could be split in half,and we know neither of these two will bow out until the proper amount of delegates is reached,meaning a convention in September is very likely.


GO GOP

Last results of the night

Well,its been a hell of a night,McCain has won the GOP,Mike Huckabee has stepped down,Clinton has ended Obama's magical run,Clinton is getting white men votes,and also winning Ohio,and i'm tired..so here are the last poll results for now :

Texas :

Obama	701,429	49%		21% reporting
Clinton	696,635	49%

Wow,only 5,000 votes seperating them right now,when these numbers started to roll in Obama was winning by 50,000 at one time,but now with lots of votes to be counted,Clinton is making Obama un easy

OHIO :

Clinton	605,728	57%		50% reporting
Obama	440,730	41%

Not sure why CNN hasn't projected a Clinton win yet,shes winning by nearly 200,00 votes and half the precints have reported.

Obamania could take a HUGE blow tonight

Huckabee bows out,respectfully.

One of the saddest moments thus far in this race,Mike Huckabee the American Underdog has bowed out after John McCain secured a GOP nomination earlier tonight,Huckabee kept going - even when his fellow Republicans urged him to stand down and let McCain win the nomination,but after McCain reached the 1,191 delegates needed - Huckabee kept to his word.


AP ;

Mike Huckabee bowed to reality Tuesday and out of the Republican presidential race. "We kept the faith," he told his end-of-the-road rally Tuesday after John McCain clinched the nomination. "I'd rather lose an election than lose the principles that got me into politics in the first place."

The genial conservative won the leadoff Iowa caucuses, making him a sudden but short-lived sensation, and then seven other states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kansas. Meantime, John McCain piled up big victories on his way to winning the prize on Tuesday night.

The writing was on the wall for weeks, but the former Arkansas governor hung on until McCain secured the necessary delegates.

"We started this effort with very little recognition and virtually no resources," Huckabee told supporters. "We ended with slightly more recognition and very few resources."

The crowd laughed. "But what a journey," he said. "What a journey. A journey of a lifetime."

Huckabee rarely raised a negative word during the campaign about McCain, a man he clearly likes, and he called him Tuesday night to congratulate him.

Huckabee said he extended "my commitment to him and to the party to do everything possible to unite our party, but more importantly to unite our country."

Huckabee vowed: "We aren't going away completely. We want to be a part of helping to keep the issues alive that have kept us in this race."

An ordained Baptist minister himself, Huckabee spoke the language of the pastors and preached in their megachurches. He compared abortion to slavery and played up his opposition to gay marriage.

At breakfasts and large gatherings with national Christian leaders, Huckabee urged pastors to use their address books and e-mail lists to mobilize their flocks.

For a time, conservatives dissatisfied with McCain were drawn to Huckabee, but the party began to unite behind the likely _ and now certain _ nominee.

Clinton on a mission?

It seems that way :
She has won Rhode Island
She is killing Obama in Ohio,its only a matter of time before shes declared winner of that state
and She has tied Obama in Texas in the voting polls

If things continue this way,Clinton could sweep the two big states,and Obamania might be looking bleek

Hail to our new chief!

Atleast on the Republican side,John McCain has been projected to win Texas - meaning he will have enough delelgates to claim the GOP nomination,meaning Huckabee will bow out tomorrow or tonight,its sad knowing that Huckabee will not be in the running no-longer for President of the United States,but may be now the party will unite and John McCain will lead us to 4 more years of Republicans in the White House.


Allthough i'm no fan of John McCain,congrats and goodluck as we unite against the evil Democrats (especially OBAMA)

Republicans in Ohio know something the rest of America doesn't

Voting for Barack Obama is nuts!
In Ohio,huge numbers of Republicans are voting cross partys in a move that would make John McCain smile,voting for Hillary Clinton? Why? oh Why? my fellow Republicans? Why : Because if Barack Obama gets in to office,all of our work in Iraq is screwed,our economy is screwed,a Democratic congress and President = SCREWED IN BOLD LETTERS,giving away a piece of mind to the U.N. = WERE SCREWED.
Republicans know,that McCain isin't 100% a jackass most of the time,and that Hillary will have a better chance of screwing up the Democrats chances at winning,just saying.

VOTE HILLARY - TO VOTE AGAINST HER

Email Stu with Glennbeck.com

Your comment/thoughts could end up on Stu's blog on glennbeck.com ,hes one of Becks "cronies"
his email is :
stu@glennbeck.com
blog :
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/blog/index.php?blog=stu&page=blog

Early polls

Vermont :
Obama wins for Democrats - McCain wins for GOP.
Ohio :
Clinton is winning by 12 % as of now,McCain will win OHIO for the GOP,mccain is under 100 delelgates from 1,919 needed to clinch nomination

Obama...not getting enough Main Stream press?

WHAT! Cnn was doing some looking into how Obama's not in enough main stream press,this is after Clinton was on Saturday Night Live - where they endorsed Obama,and on Jon Stewerts show on Comedy Central,ok this is just bullspit..what about Mike Huckabee,this guy gets no interviews on tv shows rarely,never gets featured on CNN,or any other big show.
Huckabee is the one who gets no attention,so if I hear Obama complaining again or CCN its gonna be the last straw,that guy gets more attention then the all 4 major sports combined!

Idiots in Vermont

Well,when it comes to Brattleboro Vermont voting I wouldn't take there vote to highly,as they wan't President Bush indicted if they ever come to their town - they would wan't him jail for vilolating to constitution.
These people must be nuts,has everyone forgot why were fighting this war...


AP ;

Voters in this southern Vermont town were deciding Tuesday whether to approve a measure calling for the indictment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney on charges of violating the Constitution.

The symbolic article seeks to have police arrest Bush and Cheney if they ever visit Brattleboro or to extradite them for prosecution elsewhere _ if they're not impeached first.

"Our town attorney has no legal authority to draw up any papers to allow our police officers to do so," said Town Clerk Annette Cappy, "but the gentleman who initiated the petition got the signatures (and) wanted it on the ballot to make a statement."

A steady stream of voters paraded into the Brattleboro Union High School gym to cast their ballots on a day when school board elections and Vermont's presidential primary were also on the slate.

Organizers of the indictment campaign were frustrated that the printed ballot ended up relegating the Bush-Cheney indictment article to the back side, which they said would cause some people to miss it.

The 8-by-14-inch yellow cardboard ballot listed the offices and candidates in the local election on one side, and at the bottom in block letters "Turn Ballot Over and Continue Voting."

"Turn Over Ballot and Indict Bush," read a 3-by-4-foot handmade picket sign carried by Kurt Daims, 54, who organized the petition drive and stood outside the school Tuesday.

Voters interviewed after casting ballots said they saw the article as an opportunity to express their frustration over the war in Iraq and Bush's tenure in general.

"I realize it's an extreme thing to do, and really silly in a way," said Robert George, 74, a retired photographer. "But I'm really angry about us getting involved in the war in Iraq and him (Bush) disrespecting the will of the people."

Ian Kelley, 41, a radio DJ, said he didn't vote on the article.

"It's not a good reflection on the town," he said. "Do I like either of them and would I vote for them? No. But I don't think it's cause to arrest them."

Barbara Southworth, a 66-year-old nurse, said she would have voted against it.

"I forgot to vote because it was on the flip side," she said

Ohio voting could go on for 10 tens

In Jefferson county Ohio,there is a lot of flooding,meaning that the delegates at stack for both the GOP AND Democrats could be on hold because of this one county,hopefully not - I wan't this over with today

Election decided today.

Ok my fellow Americans,today when peeps head out to the polls in Texas,Ohio,Vermont,and Rhode Island - we must keep in our minds that the President election could be decided today! Lets look at the possible outcomes :

Republicans :
1) John McCain sweeps all 4 states,he collects enough delegates to clinch the GOP nomination,Huckabee drops out gracefully,Ron Paul drops out from the GOP side and continues running as a Independent.
2) Mike Huckabee brings out the heavy artilary,and wins in Texas - forceing the GOP race to continue,possible to Pennslyvania next month,and maybe prolonging it to an election.

Democrats :
1) Barack Obama sweeps Ohio & Texas,putting him atleast 200 delegates over Hillary Clinton,she bows out of the race - and Obama focus' on the GOP.
2) Hillary Clinton wins atleast one of two vital states (Ohio or Texas) and forceing the two into a deadheat,possibly giving the GOP a lot of time to attack both Democrats.
3) Clinton sweeps all big states today,and takes a demanding lead over Obama - leading to lots of momentum and possibly the fall of Obamania.


Now my thoughts are,if Clinton goes against a Republican - a Republican will win.
If Obama wins,America is screwed.


Lets hope that 1) from the Republicans occurs, and 3) from Democrat side occurs,because if Barack sweeps...this election is over

Huckabee's big endorsement in Texas,email message sounds bad.

First on a happy note for the Huckabee campaign,Mr.Huckabee recieved the endorsement from the powerful Texas newspaper the Dallas Morning News,giving him hope that he can still win Texas :

The influential Dallas Morning News endorsed Mike Huckabee for Texas' upcoming primary.

Headlining that as "a vote for Huckabee is a vote for GOP's future," the paper added that "John McCain is all but guaranteed to be the party's presidential nominee. It is mathematically impossible for Mike Huckabee, the last remaining major GOP contender, to capture the nomination."

The paper praised McCain for "long experience and personal courage, he has a solid record of fiscal responsibility and has been on the right side of campaign finance reform and environmental issues. And he was correct and principled to lead the fight for comprehensive immigration reform last summer."

But the News noted McCain's advanced age and his notorious temper have given them pause.

"Win or lose in November, the GOP is destined to spend the next few years redefining itself. For many reasons, Reaganism, which made the GOP the dominant political party of the last generation, no longer resonates as it once did with the American public. The world has changed since Ronald Reagan's election nearly 30 years ago, and the great man's political heirs will have to adjust the GOP's strategy and tactics to new realities.

"To that end, Mr. Huckabee, 52, should be a top leader in tomorrow's Republican Party. His good-natured approach to politics – "I'm a conservative; I'm just not mad about it," as he likes to say – is quite appealing after years of scorched-earth tactics from both parties. He's a pragmatist more concerned with effective government than with bowing to ideological litmus tests. For example, he has proven himself willing to violate anti-tax dogma to undertake investment in infrastructure for the sake of long-term prosperity." - Newsmax.

On a sad note,Mike Huckabee's latest email message to supporters,sounds like hes giving up or just lossing hope (don't worry,he won't vote for Obama) :

I am campaigning across Texas today. While I am on the road, I ask that you read and then share with your friends, family and neighbors something very special: 1,800+ individual endorsements of my campaign from voters just like you.

They are from the people that I meet everyday on the campaign trail. They are the voices of our Republican Party today and tomorrow.

To leave your own endorsement you need to sign up as a Ranger today. You can do so here.

Please share these endorsements with friends and family. Help us finish strong.

With deep gratitude, Mike Huckabee

"Help us finish strong" . Thats what makes me say,man he may be the best choice..but he may not get elected.

Goodluck Huckabee

Russia elects new president,no shocker

this is a no-brainer,Russia elected Putins choice...yay...lol.

Just hours after Russia elected a new president, the Kremlin sent two strong signals that it doesn't plan to back down from its pull-no-punches foreign policy _ a coalition of pro-government youth groups marched on the U.S. Embassy and the state-controlled gas monopoly reduced gas supplies to Western-looking Ukraine.

The decision to squeeze Ukraine and to use street protests to attack American foreign policy may be an early indication that Dmitry Medvedev, the president-elect, intends to continue the course set by his mentor, President Vladimir Putin _ who has reasserted his country's power abroad while keeping a tight grip on society at home.

Nearly final results _ from 99.45 percent of precincts _ showed that the 42-year-old Medvedev had received 70.2 percent of the vote, the head of the elections commission said Monday.

Shortly after almost all the votes were counted, hundreds of young people marched through Moscow toward the U.S. embassy to criticize American policies in Kosovo, Iraq and the Muslim world.

While they toed the Kremlin line, Gazprom, the Russian gas monopoly, made good on a promise to reduce gas supplies to Ukraine. In addition to serving as first deputy prime minister, Medvedev is chairman of Gazprom.

Russia says the dispute over natural gas with Ukraine is strictly a financial one, a result of the alleged nonpayment by Ukraine for past gas deliveries. But the timing of the cutoff suggests a possible deeper motive: telling the world that despite his purported liberal leanings, Medvedev plans to rule with a firm hand _ one perhaps guided by Putin himself.

The last time Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine was in January 2006 in a move widely seen as punishment for the Orange Revolution that blocked a Kremlin-backed candidate from gaining Ukraine's presidency. Since then, Russia has expressed continuing anger over Ukraine's attempts to join NATO and forge stronger links with the European Union.

Chris Weafer, chief strategist for UralSib investment bank, said Medvedev may have been motivated by the need to appear tough in the face of Russia's dispute with Ukraine over gas payments.

"He found himself in that situation," Weafer said. "He didn't want to be seen as backing down."

Meanwhile, election observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, said Monday that unequal access to the media called into question the fairness of the vote.

Andreas Gross, who led the 22-member mission, described Sunday's vote as a "reflection of the will of the electorate whose democratic potential unfortunately has not been tapped."

Two of Medvedev's three challengers alleged there were violations and threatened to challenge the results in court.

The influential Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe refused to send observers, saying restrictions imposed by Russian authorities monitors made it impossible to work in a meaningful way.

The campaign was dominated by Medvedev, the Kremlin's favorite, who refused to debate his rivals or formally campaign but received the bulk of the television coverage. In the end, no one was surprised by the result.

The liberal opposition alliance headed by former chess champion Garry Kasparov planned marches in cities around the country Monday. Riot police have used violence to break up similar marches in the past, and trucks of police were stationed early Monday near the square where the Moscow march was to begin.

The main outstanding question was who would be calling the shots in Russia once Medvedev takes over and, as is widely expected, names Putin prime minister. The outside world will watch closely how the new leadership in Russia, with its immense oil and gas reserves, engages with global rivals and partners at a time of rising commodities prices.

Most Russians expect the mild-mannered Medvedev to follow Putin's lead, at least at first.

In his rhetoric, Medvedev has presented himself as a pro-business liberal and more Western-leaning face to the rest of the world. But he has also helped implement Putin's drive to give the Kremlin a near-monopoly on political power and energy resources.

The teacher-pupil relationship will be tested after Medvedev's inauguration May 7. Medvedev has said he would propose making Putin his prime minister, and Putin has said he will accept the offer. But in Russia, the premier wields significantly less power than the president, and Putin may find his new chair confining.

Gazprom's reduction of gas to Ukraine could be an early signal of Medvedev's foreign policy. Another early sign could come in July at the summit of the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations: If Putin goes alone or accompanies Medvedev, that could signal his reluctance to relinquish control.

Some officials who know the quiet, unassuming Medvedev have said privately that he is tougher than his appearance and demeanor may suggest. Russian history also shows that rulers often like to get rid of those who backed their ascent to power.

Medvedev's election was not a wide-open contest.

Medvedev ran against three rivals apparently permitted on the ballot because of their loyalty to the Kremlin line. But Communist Party candidate Gennady Zyuganov and ultranationalist candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky still alleged violations after the voting ended.

Zyuganov, Medvedev's nearest challenger with almost 18 percent in the nearly complete results, said he would dispute the result. Zhirinovsky, with 9 percent, threatened to do so as well.

Liberal opposition leaders Kasparov and Mikhail Kasyanov were barred from running after authorities decided they had not met the strict requirements for gaining a spot on the ballot. Voters across Russia say they were being urged, cajoled and pressured to vote in an effort to ensure that Medvedev scored a major victory.

___

Associated Press writers Lynn Berry, Maria Danilova, Angela Charlton and Peter Leonard in Moscow contributed to this report.

Irab demands we leave Iraq

Ya.....all the work,and all of the militints we havekilled,President Tom must be pissed..

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday dismissed U.S. accusations that his country is training extremists and demanded that the Americans withdraw from Iraq.

Speaking in a nearly hour-long news conference at the end of an unprecedented visit to Iraq, Ahmadinejad said the U.S. allegations _ that Iran is training Shiite militants who target American troops and Muslim rivals _ don't matter to the Iranians.

"Of course American officials make such remarks and such statements, and we do not care ... because they make statements on the basis of erroneous information," said the hard-line Iranian leader, who smiled through much of the session. "We cannot count on what they say."

He said the foreign presence in Iraq was an "insult to the regional nations and a humiliation."

Ahmadinejad is the first Iranian president to visit Iraq, and his two-day trip highlighted one of the unintended consequences for Washington after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the Iraq that ousted Saddam Hussein from power.

Under Saddam, a Sunni who once led an eight-year war against Iran, the two countries were bitter enemies, but Iraq's new Shiite-dominated government has deep ties to Iran's cleric-led Islamic republic.

Ahmadinejad was warmly received by Iraqi President Jabal Talabani, a Sunni Kurd, and other Iraqi leaders. He said Tehran and Baghdad are "brotherly" nations who share many beliefs and values.

"Of course, dictators and foreigners have tried to tarnish and undermine the emotional relations between the two states," he said.

After meeting Sunday with Talabani, who told the Iranian leader to call him "Uncle Jalal," Ahmadinejad drove through the U.S.-controlled Green Zone to visit Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a fellow Shiite, at his Cabinet offices.

The sprawling Green Zone contains the core of the U.S. diplomatic mission to Iraq _ including a massive new embassy _ and is heavily protected against occasional rocket barrages. American officials have accused Iran of backing Shiite extremists behind such attacks.

"The presence of foreigners in the region has been to the detriment of the nations of the region," Ahmadinejad said. "It is nothing but a humiliation to the regional nations.

"Their only achievements are that regional nations further dislike them, it adds to the regional nations' hatred. No one likes them."

Pressed by a reporter how he knows the Iraqis don't like the U.S., Ahmadinejad said that the "Iraqi people have been anti-colonialist and anti-occupation in the course of their history."

"If you go to the streets and talk to ordinary Iraqi people, you will be able to realize the true nature of such a claim," he said.

Still, the Iraqis are precariously balanced between U.S. and Iran, with government officials saying in recent weeks that they don't want the country torn apart in a power struggle between the two sides.

About 1,000 protesters in a Sunni-dominated neighborhood in Baghdad protested his visit Monday, a day after scattered demonstrations greeted his arrival. "Your mortars preceded your visit," one placard read.

Though both Iraq and Iran have Shiite majorities, they were hostile to each other throughout Saddam's long reign. About 1 million people died in the fighting that ensued after Saddam invaded Iran in 1980.

But when Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime fell to the U.S.-led invasion and Iraq's Shiite majority took power, long-standing ties between the Shiites of both countries flourished.

Earlier Monday, Talabani and Ahmadinejad signed seven memorandums of understanding on issues including industrial development, trade and customs.

Goodbye my fellow comrade - PUTIN!

We will all you miss you,but we know you'll still be in power after you leave :



Goodbye dear friend.

Russia's voters are expected to endorse Vladimir Putin's choice of a successor in Sunday's presidential election, allowing Putin to retain a measure of power in his nation, whose wealth and global voice have grown even as democratic freedoms diminished.

Dmitry Medvedev, a 42-year-old lawyer and loyal Kremlin aide, is expected to take over from Putin, whose eight years as president have left a deep imprint on the world's largest country. Medvedev has said he would offer Putin the prime minister's post.

"I'm in a good mood. Spring is here," Medvedev said as he cast his ballot in Moscow, where rain and wet snow sprinkled the streets. "The season has changed."

Some voters complained of pressure to cast ballots in his favor, and critics called the election a cynical stageshow. Few international observers were monitoring the vote.

Two election day bomb explosions targeting a police convoy near Chechnya served as a reminder of the tensions around the once-breakaway republic, one of the challenges the next president will face. Two people were reported wounded. Some 450,000 police and troops deployed nationwide to ensure the voting proceeded calmly.

If Medvedev wins, the world community will be watching closely to see how he and Putin share power. Some in the West have welcomed Medvedev's reputation as a moderate after years of tense ties with Putin over his crackdown on domestic dissent, U.S. plans for a missile defense and Kosovo's independence, among other things.

Analysts predict, though, that Medvedev could face opposition from Kremlin insiders hostile to the West.

Though he has never held elected office, Medvedev has had an easy ride toward the presidency. Polls predict he will take a solid majority of votes, against the three other candidates: Communist Gennady Zyuganov, flamboyant ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and the relatively unknown Andrei Bogdanov of the Democratic Party.

"Medvedev is a wonderful, young, handsome energetic man who will continue Putin's work and be a shining example to our children," said Tamara Razumova, who works in a polling station in Moscow.

Turnout was the only electoral uncertainty Sunday. It stood at 15 percent nationwide by midday Moscow time, Central Elections Commission chief Vladimir Churov said. He said that was slightly higher than during parliamentary elections in December.

The final turnout during that vote _ which handed overwhelming victory to the ruling United Russia party _ was 63 percent.

In Chechnya, riven by two wars since 1994 but now more or less under control by a Kremlin-backed administration, President Ramzan Kadyrov predicted 95 percent to 100 percent turnout.

"I voted for a bright future, for Medvedev," he said in Grozny.

Polling stations offered food and office supplies at a discount. In Medvedev's native St. Petersburg, some voters quaffed bargain beer at their polling place. Others showed up for the goods _ but didn't bother to vote.

Some cast a protest ballot. Alexander Petrov, a 28-year-old trader in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok, said he voted for Zyuganov, because he wanted to "take away votes from the candidate of the ruling powers."

Government-paid teachers and doctors across the country complained that they were being pressured to vote at their workplace under the gaze of their superiors, to ensure a convincing win and a high turnout for Medvedev. Golos, an election monitoring group, reported similar accounts.

Sofia, 25, a history teacher in southwestern Moscow, said the principal required her and colleagues to cast ballots at a polling station set up on the school premises.

"This is terrible, they are not leaving us any choice," said Sofia, who declined to give her last name out of fear of losing her job. She said she destroyed her ballot in protest.

The only liberal candidate, former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, and Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion and one of the Kremlin's most prominent critics, were both squeezed off the ballot on technicalities.

Only 300 international election observers were monitoring the 96,000 voting stations across Russia's 11 time zones. The influential Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe refused to send observers, saying Russian authorities were imposing such tight restrictions that it could not work in a meaningful way.

Communist candidate Zyuganov claimed irregularities were widespread but provided no evidence. Candidate Bogdanov, asked how much support he predicted, said: "Any percent would be good."

The new president's major domestic tasks hover around economic issues. Russia got rich from skyrocketing world oil prices, but the economy is hugely dependent on natural resources and needs to diversify to ensure long-term prosperity. Inflation _ more than 11 percent last year _ is undermining the nascent middle class.

___

California risking good training for troops,for whales?

This makes me sick,this just proves how un-american all these people are and how they believe that animals are more important then humans or our soldiers,we were given the command by God to SUBDUE THE EARTH AND EVERYTHING ON IT!

The Navy must abide by limits on its sonar training off the Southern California coast because the exercises could harm dozens of species of whales and dolphins, a federal appeals court ruled.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday night rejected the Navy's appeal of restrictions that banned high-powered sonar within 12 miles of the coast and set other limits that could affect Navy training exercises to begin this month.

Also on Friday, a federal judge in Hawaii issued a similar ban for that state's coastline.

In the California case, the three-member appellate panel let stand most of a lower court injunction that set the limits but did alter two restrictions that the Navy argued could harm the readiness of its ships for potential combat duty.

Conservation groups that had sued to block the Navy's use of high-powered sonar said the decision was a victory for their side.

"The court is saying that neither the president nor the U.S. Navy is above the law," Joel Reynolds, director of the Marine Mammal Protection Project at the Natural Resources Defense Council, said in a statement Saturday.

"The court found that the Navy must be environmentally responsible when training with high intensity sonar, and that doing so won't interfere with military readiness," he said.

The Navy said it may seek a review of the ruling.

Southern California's coastal waters are home to dozens of species of whales and dolphins, seals, and sea lions. Nine species are federally listed as endangered or threatened.

In its ruling, the appellate court said the Navy has acknowledged that high-powered sonar may cause hearing loss and other injuries to marine mammals. The court said the Navy has estimated that its Southern California exercises would expose more than 500 beaked whales to harassment and would result in temporary hearing loss to thousands of marine mammals.

A federal judge in Los Angeles ruled in January that despite a waiver from President Bush, the Navy is not exempt from environmental laws. The judge issued a preliminary injunction that, in addition to the 12-mile ban, required the Navy to limit the decibel levels of its sonar under certain ocean conditions and to stop using it altogether when a marine mammals is detected within 2,200 yards of a sonar source.

The Navy said those restrictions would limit its ability to conduct anti-submarine warfare training and possibly prevent certification of some naval strike groups preparing to deploy to the Persian Gulf.

The appellate court upheld the preliminary injunction but issued a stay that altered the two disputed measures. The sound-level reductions during certain ocean conditions were staggered and tied to the proximity of a marine mammal.

The court also said the Navy can continue to use sonar _ although at a lower sound level _ when a marine mammal is within 2,200 yards if the sonar is being used "at a critical point in the exercise."

The decision is good for 30 days to allow the Navy time to seek a review of the ruling.

The Navy was "heartened" by the decision because it "at least temporarily provides us some relief from the district court's overbroad injunction," spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Cindy Moore said Saturday.

However, the lower court ruling still places "significant restrictions on our ability to train realistically," she said, and the Navy is considering asking for more review, possibly by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We're a country engaged in two wars. When we send America's sons and daughters into harm's way, we must ensure they have the best possible training," she said.

The Navy undertakes "extensive measures" to protect marine mammals during training, she added.

---

More polls then votes.

Have you noticed this Election year,that there seems to be more polls then actually votes this year? We have polls for age,race,gender,location,how poor you are,and prolly other things.
But I would like to introduce a new poll,How Midgets are voting...i'm curious how are short little friends are voting in this election..does anyone care?
Well I do,so here are some numbers :
GOP - 75,000 midgets are registerd to vote
Thus far 60,000 have voted,here are some exit poll numbers
56,000 believe the machines are to big,and 4,000 had to use a chair to reach the buttons
as for voting, all 60,000 have voted for Ron Paul,believeing that going back to the old days will give midgets a reason to cheer,as the political correctness of today is horrible.
Democrats - 100,000 midgets
All have voted for Obama,believeing his change will help them "grow"

Ohio and Texas

Well,for one thing we can say the GOP nomination comes down to this Tuesday in Ohio,Texas,Rhode Island,and Vermont - but it could just come down to the states with the largest delegate counts : Ohio and Texas,Huckabee is looking to win Texas,its his last hope.
Its tough to predict Texas,as the voters have many issues : Taxes,the Border,War,and other things.
Texas is also a very Evengelical and hispanic based vote,I can tell you now the Democrats will win the Hispanic vote easily.

So heres my prediction for Tuesday :
Rhode Island - McCain wins for GOP,Hillary wins for Democrats.
Vermont : Huckabee wins for GOP,Hillary wins for Democrats
Ohio - McCain wins for GOP,Hillary wins for Democrats
Texas - Huckabee wins for GOP,Obama wins for Democrats

Open mailbag

Well,I kinda stick to the TV SHOW like 3 way system, I come up with snazzy title,imput my thoughts,and post original article.
Well,now I wanna hear from YOU the reader of this blog,so please leave a comment for me or RJ to answer your question,or email me at aaaabraves@yahoo.com look forward to your imput folks

Prince Harry's cover blown.

Ok,I have tons of respect for the Drudgereport & Matt Drudge,but reporting that Prince Harry third in line for the throne in England is currently in the front lines fighting in Afghanistan,is just idiotic.
Harry wants to be respected and have a career in the military,and wanted to fight in the front lines,even the BRUTAL English press could keep this quiet for 10 weeks! But Drudge,shame on you! As you win this weeks :
JACKASS of the week award.

Story from AP ;

Prince Harry wanted to be "one of the lads," an ordinary soldier sharing risk and hardship with his men. For 10 weeks, he got his wish _ and that may be enough to advance his career in the military.

British defense chiefs announced Friday they were withdrawing him immediately from the combat zone in Afghanistan after his deployment, once a closely guarded secret, became public.

Still, Harry's hopes of a long-term military career should still be boosted by his time at war _ and by the assessment of his commander, Brig. Andrew Mackey, that the prince "acquitted himself with distinction."

Harry, third in line to the throne, has spoken of his desire to be an ordinary soldier. Unlike his older brother, William, who is also in the army but whose future military role will be largely ceremonial, Harry, 23, sees the military as a career.

In a 2006 interview, he said he would not have gone through the rigors of officer training at Sandhurst military academy only to "sit on my arse back home while my boys are out fighting for their country."

Although Harry's deployment ended prematurely, military analysts said it would nonetheless help his army career by allowing him to hold his head high among his comrades.

"It will set him apart from the people who haven't been on active service," said Charles Heyman, author of guidebooks to the British military. "That's the most important thing for a soldier."

The prince's deployment had gone undisclosed under an agreement between the Ministry of Defense and major news organizations designed to protect Harry and his fellow soldiers.

An Australian women's magazine reported on Harry's deployment last month, but that report received little attention. When the news was posted on the Drudge Report Web site on Thursday, the dam burst.

The Ministry of Defense said Friday that worldwide media coverage of Harry's posting could have risked his and his colleagues' safety had the prince been allowed to stay in Afghanistan. It said Harry had been due to return "in a matter of weeks" before the news broke.

Media outlets were granted a series of interviews and allowed to take photos and video images of the prince, all to be distributed on a pool basis and used on his return. That material was released after the story leaked out.

Society of Editors director Bob Satchwell, who helped broker the media deal, said the arrangement should not be looked at as precedent-setting.

"But on the other hand, you should never say never," he said. "It worked for a significant time, and it allowed Prince Harry to be deployed."

Harry's work in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand province involved calling in airstrikes on Taliban positions, as well as foot patrols. He spent part of his deployment at a base 500 yards from Taliban positions.

Conditions were primitive and dangerous, but Harry said the posting offered him a rare sort of freedom.

"I think this is about as normal as I'm ever going to get," Harry said while serving at a dusty outpost called Forward Operating Base Delhi.

"It's bizarre," he reflected. "I'm out here now, haven't really had a shower for four days, haven't washed my clothes for a week and everything seems completely normal. It's nice just to be here with all the guys and just mucking in as one of the lads."

Harry joked in Afghanistan that he was a "bullet magnet," a prized target for insurgents. A plan to send him to Iraq last year was canceled after British intelligence learned of threats by militants to kill him. The head of the army, Gen. Richard Dannatt, said at the time that intense media coverage of the planned deployment had made the situation worse.

He is expected back in Britain in the coming days.

Many of Harry's royal forebears have also seen combat _ most recently his uncle, Prince Andrew, who flew Royal Navy helicopters during the 1982 Falklands War. Harry's grandfather Prince Philip served on Royal Navy battleships during World War II.

In those days, a combination of press deference, military censorship and slower-moving technology helped keep details of military operations under wraps. Times have changed _ as Harry himself knows well.

Back home in Britain, the prince is stalked by the press. His frequent boozy trips to London nightclubs and his occasional gaffes _ like wearing an armband with a a Nazi emblem to a costume party _ are captured by paparazzi and beamed around the world.

Analysts say the combination of Harry's celebrity status, an insatiable media and an age of instant communication makes it unlikely the prince _ or anyone else with a similar profile _ will serve on the front lines again.

"We live in a crazed celebrity-reporting world," said Adam Holloway, a Conservative Party lawmaker who sits on the British parliament's defense committee. "It's pretty miraculous that he managed 10 weeks."

Dropping the age limit on booze?

My thoughts :
You got a bunch of dumb,stupid,college or high school students,their at the max of the puberty/idioctic stage,there gonna drink anyway - so why not lower the drinking age,back in sixtys you could drive drunk,you could drive without seatbelts,an underage minor could drive - and no-one got hurt most of the time,alcohol is not the con in people - its that people have become less trustworth,and intelligent,and with all of these hippies who are looking for ANY thing to protest..young people suffer the most. I salute Vermont for what their doing,they can probably save a few drunks & allow people to be somehwhat happy before they hit 21.
BTW : You can fight in w ar,smoke a cigar,and be allowed in strip clubs,but you can't drink before 21?



AP :

More than two decades after the country established a uniform drinking age of 21, a nascent movement is afoot to allow 18- to 20-year-olds to legally buy alcohol under some circumstances.

Proponents say the higher age hasn't kept young people from consuming alcohol and has instead driven underage consumption underground, particularly on college campuses.

"Our laws aren't working. They're not preventing underage drinking. What they're doing is putting it outside the public eye," Vermont state Sen. Hinda Miller said. "So you have a lot of kids binge drinking. They get sick, they get scared and they get into trouble and they can't call because they know it's illegal."

On Thursday, a committee of the Vermont Senate approved Miller's bill to have a task force weigh the pros and cons of rolling back the drinking age and make a recommendation to the Legislature early next year.

Organizations and lawmakers in other states are toying with similar ideas.

In South Dakota, Flandreau lawyer N. Bob Pesall has drafted an initiative petition to allow 19- and 20-year-olds to legally buy beer no stronger than 3.2 percent alcohol.

In Missouri, a group is using the Internet social networking sites Facebook and Meetup to try to collect more than 100,000 signatures to get a measure on the ballot to lower the drinking age to 18.

In South Carolina and Wisconsin, lawmakers have proposed allowing active duty military personnel younger than 21 to buy alcohol. A similar proposal was rejected last year in New Hampshire.

And last year, former Middlebury College president John McCardell started Choose Responsibility, a nonprofit that favors allowing 18- to 20-year-olds to legally buy booze once they've completed an alcohol education program.

"We don't simply advocate the lower age, but believe mandatory alcohol education and licensing with very strict enforcement for violations of the state's alcohol laws might work," McCardell said.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving and others call this folly to even consider, saying the higher age limit has saved thousands of lives since the 1984 enactment of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. The act required states to raise the age to 21 or lose federal transportation money. South Dakota was the last state to comply, in 1988.

Vermont voted to raise the age in 1985, and in the ensuing 20 years, alcohol-related traffic fatalities dropped by 40 percent, according to Vermont State Police.

"Is there any significant support in the U.S. Congress for changing the law? We don't see that," said Chuck Hurley, CEO of MADD.

Typically, when states flirt with the idea, they quickly abandon it for fear of losing the highway funding, he said.

Vermont stands to lose about $17 million a year if it were to flout the federal government and lower the drinking age.

McCardell said an effort is under way to persuade Congress to grant waivers exempting states from financial penalty if they lower the age.

"If Congress would grant a waiver, the states would be willing to try something, and at least then we could get some evidence and see whether things are better or worse," he said Thursday.

Politically, it's a hard sell, in part because there are other public health hazards associated with excessive alcohol consumption, not just highway fatalities.

But proponents of a younger drinking age say alcohol-related highway fatalities were dropping before the legal drinking age was lowered, and argue underground drinking presents its own risks.

In 2006, 28.3 percent of youngsters aged 12 to 20 said they'd had a drink in the past month and 19 percent were defined as binge drinkers, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey defined a binge drinker as someone who, in the past month, had drunk five or more alcoholic beverages within several hours.

Miller, a Democrat, says she isn't sure that lowering the drinking age is the answer, but calls the idea worth exploring.

Her bill, which calls for a report to the Legislature by Jan. 15, does not propose a specific drinking age, only sets up a five-member task force to study the implications of lowering the age from 21. The bill now goes to the full Senate.

State Sen. Vincent Illuzzi, chairman of the committee that approved the bill, said he would vote against lowering the age if he had to decide now.

But he said it's nonetheless worth looking into.

"I sense the Senate will buy into our rationale, that a law on the books for 20 years should have a look-see, to see if it's having its intended effect or should be modified," said Illuzzi, a Republican.

But critics are leery.

"I think it is irresponsible legislation, to be quite honest," said William Goggins, director of education and enforcement for the state Liquor Control Board.

"The facts speak for themselves," he said. "Once the drinking age was raised, the number of alcohol-related fatalities decreased. To me, saving lives is the grandest argument of them all."

___

On the Net:

Choose Responsibility: http://www.chooseresponsibility.org

Mothers Against Drunk Driving: http://www.madd.org

Missouri 18 to Drink 2008: http://missouri18todrink.org

Bush honors Redsox

Jokes,laughter,and a lot of Liberals,oh and baseball - A perfect day for any President,and this brings up the qustion : What does President Bush and a Japan pitcher have in common :

AP -

They have guys nicknamed Big Papi and Dice-K and Bones. They have a star pitcher who famously danced in his underwear and a left fielder who is such a sublime hitter that he gets away with being loopy.

So when the Boston Red Sox, World Series champions, showed up at the White House on Wednesday, President Bush had a blast.

"I love the fact that you've got some of the game's biggest stars," Bush said, honoring the team on a chilly day on the South Lawn. "I mean, Big Papi. The guy lights up the screen."

That would be David Ortiz, the lumbering left-handed slugger and team leader who proudly held the World Series trophy.

Then, in a line that even surprised the players, Bush sent a zinger toward absent left fielder Manny Ramirez.

"I guess his grandmother died again," Bush said to prolonged laughter. "Just kidding."

Ramirez says his various antics are just a matter of "Manny being Manny." He also missed the Red Sox 2005 World Series ceremony at the White House. Visiting a sick grandmother, he said.

Bush said he did not mean to poke fun at Ramirez, then did so again.

"I do want to quote him," Bush said. "He said, `When you don't feel good, and you still get hits, that's when you know you're a bad man.' I don't know what that means. But if bad man means good hitter, he's a really bad man, because he was clutch in the World Series."

With their second World Series title in four years, the Red Sox looked comfortable as returning guests on the South Lawn. Boston had not won the title for 86 years until the 2004 squad swept the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bush noted the pitching of Japanese player Daisuke Matsuzaka, known as Dice-K. His presence drew a huge number of Japanese reporters.

"His press corps is bigger than mine," Bush said. "And we both have trouble answering questions in English."

Then there was Jonathan Papelbon, the relief pitcher who danced in the Fenway Park infield in his underwear when the Red Sox when the pennant.

"Thanks for wearing pants," Bush told him.

More than a thousand people came out to see the champs, from the White House chief of staff to the policy wonks to the press aides.

These Red Sox were on the brink of getting bounced from the playoffs one round before the World Series before rallying against the Cleveland Indians. Then they swept the Colorado Rockies in four games.

As spring training begins, the Red Sox are considered a favorite again.

Pastor Hagee endorses John McCain

I'm kinda shocked Pastor Hagee did not endorse fellow Baptist Mike Huckabee,but regardless this is a good nomination for McCain,as he needs all of the Baptist/Evengelical vote he can get :

Reuters :

SAN ANTONIO -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain won the endorsement of Texas evangelical leader John Hagee on Wednesday, which could boost his standing among religious conservatives who have been reluctant to embrace the likely nominee.

Hagee, who heads a 19,000-member church in San Antonio, is best known for his outspoken support of Israel and writings on the Middle East, where he envisions a blood-soaked clash between East and West leading to the return of Jesus Christ.

"I'm very honored by Pastor John Hagee's endorsement today," McCain said at a news conference. "He has been the staunchest leader of our Christian evangelical movement in many areas, but especially, most especially, his close ties and advocacy for the freedom and independence of the state of Israel."

Hagee, standing beside the candidate, said he admired McCain's pro-Israel stance, commitment to nominate conservative judges and opposition to abortion.

"Victory is within our grasp because John McCain knows it's never wrong to do the right thing," Hagee said.

Christian conservatives are an important part of the Republican base, but many have so far been reluctant to support the Arizona senator.

Coast-to-coast primary victories on February 5 made McCain the all-but-certain Republican nominee, but many evangelicals continue to support rival Mike Huckabee, a Baptist preacher and former Arkansas governor. Several conservative Christian leaders have said they will not vote for McCain in November if he is the nominee.

McCain's support for the Iraq war and fierce criticism of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won praise from Hagee, who has brought thousands of evangelical Christians to Washington to lobby on Israel's behalf.

Hagee has written that events in the Middle East point to an imminent apocalypse Christians should welcome.

In his book "Jerusalem Countdown: A Warning to the World," Hagee predicts Russian and Arab armies will invade Israel and be destroyed by God. Israel will then be the site of a battle between China and the West, which will be led by the anti-Christ in his role as head of the European Union. Jesus Christ will return to Earth in the final battle, he writes.

The book also claims Adolph Hitler and the Roman Catholic Church joined in a conspiracy to destroy the Jews.

"Our support of Israel has absolutely nothing to do with an end times prophetic scenario," Hagee told reporters. "They are a democracy in the Middle East that deserves the support of America and the Christian people of America."

McCain said on his campaign plane that he was not familiar with Hagee's writings. "I think he's a fine leader and I appreciate his commitment to Israel," McCain said.

Rush Limbaugh might be going nuts

Either Rush is a genius and deserves a Nobel Peace Prize,or the Clintons are starting to grow on him,personally I feel hes a genius,because if Barack Obama wins the Democratic Nomination - the Republicans are screwed,as is the Country..and all of our hard work in Iraq :

Newsmax -

By: Jim Meyers

It may be sound unbelievable, but conservative Rush Limbaugh is urging Republicans to cross party lines this Tuesday in primaries in Ohio and Texas and vote for Hillary Clinton. During his No. 1 rated radio show and on his Web site, www.rushlimbaugh.com, the former Clinton archenemy has told listeners to “pimp themselves” for just one day vote by voting for Hillary to keep the Democratic Party “at war with itself.” Citing a story in a Texas newspaper headlined “Many Republicans to Vote for Obama," Limbaugh told listeners this week: “I understand I've got a big challenge here to try to get Republicans to change their minds on this and vote for Hillary to keep her in the race, to keep that party at war with itself . . . “It's clear that Republicans in Texas have been listening to this program where we have advised Republicans to pimp themselves for a day and go vote in the Democrat primary . . . I just think, at this stage, the longer Hillary can stay in this, the better for us.” Limbaugh said he wants to see Hillary and Barack Obama continue battling, noting that the battle will end if Hillary is vanquished and Obama can focus completely on presumptive GOP nominee John McCain. “I know I'm fighting an uphill battle . . . vote for Hillary to keep this campaign going, this 'uncivil war,'” Rush said. “Remember what this is, this is about us winning. You have to understand, it's not about Hillary winning; It's about us winning. It's about our party winning. It's about those people losing. They've got some problems in the Democratic Party. It's not all sweetness and light over there . . . “If Hillary loses this thing, all of that's going to come to a screeching halt. We want all the disruption in that party as possible. It's about us winning.”

Clinton wants to help the poor,and drain 5-6 billion out of us

Hillary,Hillary,Hillary, your life Barney Fife - you try to do good with one group of people,but you piss off another group.
Ok with this Poverty thing,your gonna make it so people have to pay taxes they haven't before - That vilolates the Declaration of Independence, your going to increase Foodstamps - YAY the Government has more control over America, seh wants to begin headstart earlier for youngsters - YAY more time to be brainwashed with Liberal politics.
I gotta give her some credit,she admitted that the largest group in America that is in Poverty is the whites....out of all poverty 35% of them are whites,more than blacks or hispanics....but you can make the case that there are more white people here..and its just bound to happen.

Heres the article,and the future taxes you'll have to spend :

AP) 06:23:16 AM (ET), Thursday, February 28, 2008 (HANGING ROCK, Ohio)

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton is offering a plan to improve childhood nutrition and setting a goal to reduce by half the 12 million youngsters living in poverty over the next dozen years.

A package of proposals, to be unveiled Thursday, includes a "comprehensive" early education initiative that starts with nurse's visits for pregnant women, lets children begin the Head Start program earlier and calls for universal pre-kindergarten programs.

The New York senator also says she would deal with childhood hunger by putting in place a food safety net, and give children "greater access to healthy, fresh food."

She was to spell out her proposals in a speech at the child care development center on Ohio University's southern campus.

Clinton aides said the new programs would carry and annual pricetag of $5 billion to $6 billion. A significant portion of her plan comes by expanding existing programs. She would cover the cost by toughening enforcement to collect taxes currently owed but not paid.

Clinton said she would direct her agriculture secretary to develop a plan to end childhood hunger. The nutrition effort would come largely through signing up more people for the food stamp program and expanding its benefits.

School breakfast programs would be universal in low-income neighborhoods under her proposal. She also would double the size of a summer nutrition program aimed at feeding low-income children when they aren't in school.

Clinton also says she would launch an effort to get junk food out of schools. She would require schools that get federal funding through the school lunch or breakfast programs to offer only food that meets or surpasses USDA standards.

Background documents outlining her proposal were provided to The Associated Press and include some proposals that Clinton has offered in the past such as calling for an increase in the minimum wage to aid the working poor, as well as expanding the earned income tax credit, a move that helps the same group.

In addition, Clinton was calling for stronger programs aimed at cutting teen pregnancy as well as toughening child support enforcement programs to "support responsible fatherhood."

Clinton argues that roughly 12.9 million children live in poverty, with about 5 million living in extreme poverty. That means their families have incomes of less than half the federal poverty level.

The effort would bolster minority children, Clinton says, with roughly one-third of black children living in poverty and 28 percent of Hispanic youngsters living in poor households. That compares with the roughly 10 percent of white children in poverty, she says. Despite that, 35 percent of all children living in poverty are white, making them the largest group of youngsters in poverty.

"While we celebrate America as a place where an individual's circumstances at birth should not determine his or her life chances, the fact is that economic mobility is now in decline in America," Clinton's background documents say. "Children born in poverty are likely to live in poverty their whole lives."

The effort to provide nursing care for pregnant women builds on a program she shaped as first lady of Arkansas, a program she said has been a dramatic success.

Finally some good news

Today in the NY Times,Independent and NY city mayor Michael Bloomberg announced he will not run for President of the United States,about time we get some good news. Leaving Ralph Nader as the main Independent running for office as of now,Bloomberg says he will only support someone who takes an Independent non partisan view.
But this offers relief,as in a race with over 10 partys sending candidates,and over a hundred people campaigning to be President of this great country,finally someone says no...

Obama - Clinton fight hits new low

Me,all of my bros are republicans,and most of my sister in laws are as well,but this is just nuts. I can see a heated argument but stabbing and choking one another? OVER OBAMA AND CLINTON? THATS JUST WRONG :

Montgomery County authorities say a man stabbed his brother-in-law during an argument over who should get the Democratic nomination for president. What's more, Jose Ortiz, 28, who's charged with felony assault, is a registered Republican.

District Attorney Risa Ferman said Ortiz supports Hillary Clinton and Sean Shurelds supports Barack Obama. She told reporters Monday that the two got into an argument in a Collegeville home Thursday night and Shurelds tried to choke Ortiz. She says Ortiz then stabbed Shurelds in the abdomen.

Shurelds was taken to a hospital in critical condition, but is expected to recover.

CDC Panel Recommends all kids get Flu shots

Don't know about you,but I don't want the Government or some doctor group telling me to get a shot,what I feel this will do is just make more money for all of the flu shots...its just another worthless way to get money at the expense of a good lie :

All children - not just those under 5 - should get vaccinated against the flu, a federal advisory panel said Wednesday. The panel voted to expand annual flu shots to virtually all children except infants younger than 6 months and those with serious egg allergies.

That means about 30 million more children could be getting vaccinated. If heeded, it would be one of the largest expansions in flu vaccination coverage in U.S. history. The flu vaccine has been available since the 1940s.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said all children should start getting vaccinated as soon as possible, acknowledging that many doctors have already ordered their vaccine for the 2008-2009 season and may not be able to give the shots until 2009-2010. The flu season generally starts in the fall and continues through spring.

The panel's advice is routinely adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issues vaccination guidelines to doctors and hospitals.

Flu shots were already recommended for those considered to be at highest risk of death or serious illness from the flu, including children ages 6 months to 5 years, adults 50 and older, and people with weakened immune systems

The panel said that should be expanded to include children up to age 18.

Children ages 5 to 18 get flu at higher rates than other age groups, but they don't tend to get as sick. Of the 36,000 estimated annual deaths attributed to the flu, only 25 to 50 occur in children in that age bracket, CDC officials said.

But children who stay home sick from school cause parents to stay home, so reducing the illness in this group should cut down days of lost work, some experts said.

Experts believe giving flu shots to more children may also prevent the illness from spreading to adults and the elderly, although studies haven't clearly established that will happen.

Shots are not the only option. A nasal spray vaccine, FluMist, is approved for healthy people ages 2 to 49.

Panel members waffled a bit on whether to make the recommendations kick in immediately. Some public health professionals pushed them to make the clearest endorsement possible of the flu vaccine, concerned that the public is losing faith in flu shots because this year's vaccine was not well matched to circulating viruses.

Indeed, a few argued that the committee should recommend flu shots for every healthy person, rather than adding another set of children now and maybe young adults in a few years.

"Creeping incrementalism, I believe, continues to foster confusion" about who should get the shot and how important it is, said Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert.

The head of the panel, Dr. Dale Morse, asked for a report on universal vaccination of adults.

Meanwhile, vaccine makers said they expect to be able to produce enough doses next season to accommodate an extra 30 million children, but panel members had concerns about how the doses would be given to so many.

There's no other vaccine that's given to nearly all kids every year. Most schools aren't set up to do it, and physicians groups said they weren't sure if doctors were ready to handle a flood of children seeking vaccinations every year.

"This is the only vaccination that pediatricians in my community don't want to have to give," said Dr. Carol Baker, a Baylor College of Medicine professor who sits on the panel.

Baker said she still felt the recommendation should go into effect for the next flu season. But groups representing pediatricians and family physicians said they wanted more time to plan for a possible crush.

Maybe they shouldn't worry. Some experts noted that only a fraction of people recommended to get flu vaccinations actually go through with it.

"We probably will need to have low expectations for coverage in the first few years of implementation" of the ages 5-through-18 recommendation, said Dr. Tomy Fiore, a CDC epidemiologist.

Before the vote, the panel heard a presentation of a study that found the vaccine was 75 percent effective in preventing hospitalizations from the flu in children 6 months to 23 months.

"We haven't had data showing prevention of severe outcomes like that in that age group before," Fiore said.

___

On the Net:

CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

McCain mocks Obama

AHAHAHA,McCain might be wrong on a lot of things,but he knows how to talk to a crowd and how to talk about Iraq :

Obama,are you an American? do you know whats going on my black friend?

AP :

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain mocked Democrat Barack Obama on Wednesday for saying he would take action as president "if al-Qaida is forming a base in Iraq."

"When you examine that statement, it's pretty remarkable," McCain told a crowd in Tyler, Texas.

"I have some news. Al-Qaida is in Iraq. It's called `al-Qaida in Iraq,'" McCain said, drawing laughter at Obama's expense.

McCain said he had not watched the Democratic presidential debate on Tuesday night but was told of Obama's response when asked if as president he would reserve the right to send U.S. troops back into Iraq to quell an insurrection or civil war.

Obama did not say whether he'd send troops but responded: "As commander in chief, I will always reserve the right to make sure that we are looking out for American interests. And if al-Qaida is forming a base in Iraq, then we will have to act in a way that secures the American homeland and our interests abroad."

Throughout the primary season, McCain has repeatedly attacked Obama and Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton for saying they would withdraw troops from Iraq.

"And my friends, if we left, they (al-Qaida) wouldn't be establishing a base," McCain said Wednesday. "They'd be taking a country, and I'm not going to allow that to happen, my friends. I will not surrender. I will not surrender to al-Qaida."

He said that withdrawing troops would be "waving the white flag."

In the debate, Clinton did not answer the question about re-invasion of Iraq on grounds it contained "lots of different hypothetical assessments."

For years, McCain has urged sending more troops into Iraq, even before President Bush adopted such a strategy about a year ago.

"I knew enough from talking to the men and women who are serving that this new strategy was what we needed, and I'm telling you, it is succeeding," McCain said. "So what needs to happen, we need to continue this strategy. It should be General Petraeus' recommendation, not that of a politician running for higher office, as to when and how we withdraw."

He was referring to Gen. David Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq.

In the debate, Clinton did not answer the question about whether, as president, she would order a re-invasion of Iraq. "You're making lots of different hypothetical assessments," Clinton said.

As he began a swing through President Bush's home state, which holds a presidential primary election on Tuesday, McCain made sure to play up a line he always uses: "I also think it might be nice for President Bush to get a little credit that there's not been another attack on the United States of America," he said to applause.

Mayor or Oregon town that possed in Underwear,stripped of mayor position

The lighter side of politics from Localnets offbeat news section,got love little towns..trust me I know!

AP ;

The mayor of an Oregon town who once stripped to her underwear and posed on a fire truck has been stripped of her office.

Voters in this town of about 500 voted narrowly Monday to recall Carmen Kontur-Gronquist. The tally was 142-139. City officials said the recall is effective Tuesday.

Kontur-Gronquist said the pictures of her in black bra and panties were taken for use in a contest about fitness, but a relative posted them on MySpace in hopes it would improve the social life of the single mother.

They predated her election, but she said she saw no reason to take them off the popular Web site once elected three years ago. Later, she closed access to them.

Opponents said it wasn't fitting for the mayor to be so depicted. They said they also disagreed with her on issues about water and the local golf course.

In my towns election,we have so few voters they started the sheep ballot..if they went left 1 vote for the democrat,if they went right a vote for the republican..lol

Mitt Romney back in the race?!

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please God no,let the Republicans be settled so we don't have Romney back in the mix,we can't afford to end up like the Democrats in a battle of doomsday,we need to be settled fast.

NEWSMAX :

Mitt Romney is down, but he might not be out.

Romney suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination after a disappointing showing on Super Tuesday, and has endorsed John McCain for the GOP nod.

But Romney’s son Josh says it’s “possible” his father might rejoin the race as a candidate for vice president or for president if McCain’s campaign stalls.

Romney hasn’t commented publicly about a recent New York Times article that implied McCain had an improper relationship with a female lobbyist.

McCain and the lobbyist have firmly denied the allegation, but subsequent reports have contradicted some of McCain’s denials, and further disclosures could raise questions about the viability of McCain’s campaign, Andrew Malcolm reports in the Los Angeles Times.

Because he suspended his campaign rather than terminating it, Romney still controls nearly 300 delegates he won in early primaries and caucuses.

Josh Romney, who campaigned actively for his father, told the Deseret Morning News that he is considering running for the House of Representatives from Utah’s 2nd Congressional District.

Asked if Mitt Romney might rejoin the race, Josh said it is “unlikely, but possible.”

Malcolm notes: “Such a move could provide a possible rallying point for conservatives.”

Senate advances Bill to cut funding for Iraqi war

Ok one question :
Were winning the war against Terrorists and Iraqi militints,we have caught and they have hung Saddam,Iraq is getting freedom,were there because of 9/11 do they know how important Iraq is?

AP :

In an about-face, Senate Republicans on Tuesday agreed with Democrats to advance an anti-war bill because they said the debate would give them time to hail progress in Iraq.

The change of heart came after months of blocking similar measures. But unlike most of last year, security conditions in Iraq have improved, and Republicans say they now feel they have the upper hand on the debate.

"We welcome a discussion about Iraq," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declared.

The measure, by Democratic Sens. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, would cut off money for combat after 120 days. It had been expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a procedural hurdle and move ahead.

But after Republicans agreed in a private meeting that the debate could help make their case, the Senate voted 70-24 to begin debating it in earnest.

Aides said a final vote could come later this week, but may be pushed into next week.

The White House said the president would veto such a measure.

"This legislation would substitute the political judgment of legislators for the considered professional military judgment of our military commanders," the administration said in a statement.

Democrats said they welcomed the debate, although they accused Republicans of stalling on plans to debate other issues, namely the nation's housing crisis.

Reid said "a civil war rages" in Iraq and shouldn't be the responsibility of U.S. taxpayers.

"Americans need to start taking care of Americans," he said. "We cannot spend a half billion dollars every day in Iraq."

In recent months, violence in Iraq has subsided significantly and the Baghdad government has made small steps toward political reconciliation, including plans to hold provincial elections on Oct. 1.

While Democratic voters remain largely against the war, polls have shown, the security improvement has helped to cool anxiety among Republicans and turned voters' focus to economic problems at home.

Still, Republicans say they have more convincing to do if they are to control the White House next year.

Sen. John McCain, the GOP's likely presidential nominee, said this week that to win the White House he must convince a war-weary country that U.S. policy in Iraq in succeeding.

If he can't, "then I lose. I lose," the Arizona Republican said. He quickly backed off the remark.

McCain was not expected to return to Washington for the debate. But he said he opposes the bill.

"If ever there was a case for precipitous withdrawal from Iraq _ and I believe there never was _ now is the last time anyone should consider such a step," he said in a statement.

Tuesday's Senate vote came as the Army's top general said he wants to reduce combat tours for soldiers in Iraq from 15 months to 12 months this summer.

Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he would not embrace going back to the longer tours even if Bush decided to suspend troop reductions for the second half of the year. The Army is under serious strain from years of war-fighting, he testified, and must reduce the length of combat tours as soon as possible.

"The cumulative effects of the last six-plus years at war have left our Army out of balance, consumed by the current fight and unable to do the things we know we need to do to properly sustain our all-volunteer force and restore our flexibility for an uncertain future," Casey said.

Casey, who was the top U.S. commander in Iraq before taking the chief of staff job last spring, told the committee that cutting the time soldiers spend in combat is an integral part of reducing the stress on the force.

He said he anticipates the service can cut combat tours back to 12 months this summer as long as the president reduces the number of active-duty Army brigades in Iraq and Afghanistan to 15 units by July, as planned.

The committee chairman, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., pressed Casey on whether he could keep tour lengths at 12 months if Bush decides to suspend the troop reductions after reaching 15 brigades in July.

"We believe it will still be possible, even with the pause," Casey replied. When asked by Levin if that would hold true "regardless of the length of the pause," Casey, replied, "Yes."

However, the number of soldiers retained under the service's "stop loss" policy _ which forces some soldiers to stay on beyond their retirement or re-enlistment dates _ is unlikely to be reduced substantially.

"We are consuming readiness now as quickly as we're building it," said Army Secretary Pete Geren, who also testified.

Geren urged Congress to pass a $100 billion war spending bill this spring, contending that the Army will run out of money by July.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the Army could probably last until August or September by transferring money from less urgent accounts. Army officials counter that this approach is inefficient and can cause major program disruptions.

___

On the Net:

Senate Armed Services Committee: http://armed-services.senate.gov

Defense Department: http://www.defenselink.mil